Second Chance
by Ruby Tuesday SW
Summary: The Doctor gets a second chance to tell Rose what he should have told her long ago. TenRose. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is set just after 'Family of Blood'. Please read and review! Hopefully will complete the story soon. I do not own anything to do with 'Doctor Who', I'm just a fan :-). Hope you enjoy my first fan fiction!

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The Doctor lay awake, his mind buzzing. He didn't really know why he had gone to bed, except it seemed sensible, as Martha had. He felt strange, though perhaps that was understandable after two months of…not being himself. Mostly, he felt guilty. In his head, he rewound over his insensitive manner with Joan. He should have been delicate and kind when bidding her goodbye. Instead, he blindly offered her a place on the TARDIS, forgetting the pain she was feeling. Why did he always say the wrong thing, when later he could always think of a better way to handle a situation? Humans called hindsight a wonderful thing, but he found it acutely unpleasant.

His mind began to drift, from thoughts of Joan, to his usual subject of bedtime angst. The memories of John's love were so like his feelings for Rose. Another example of not saying the right thing…not saying anything. The Doctor often wondered how differently things could have been, if only he had told her. If he had looked into her eyes and told her how much he loved her, how wonderful she was. Again, hindsight, a terrible thing. He smiled weakly as he thought of another common human idea, the thought of turning back time to do things again. He was a Timelord, but he could no more do that than anybody else. There had been a handful of occasions, times when he and Rose had been so close, times when he wanted to tell her so much. But, he hadn't. He would look away when she gazed at him, trying to contain himself. He was a Timelord, with no time or inclination for such silly things.

Of course, since losing her, he knew that his feelings were not as transient and foolish as he had hoped. He loved her, more than he had ever thought possible. Dare he admit it, he needed her. His eyes pricked with tears, as the familiar desperation rose within him. Over the past 18 months, he had spent many long nights wishing she were there with him, crying like a child. He sometimes felt ashamed in the morning, as his rational side emerged, but really he knew that his sadness was a sign of his deep love for Rose. Blinking, he sat up and headed to his library. On the desk lay a thick tome, old and permanently dusty, despite his frequent reading of it recently. He looked at the front cover, and felt a little better. 'Traversing the Void: Theories of inter-universal travel'. Settling in his chair, he turned to a bookmarked page somewhere in the middle.


	2. Chapter 2

Rose opened her eyes, smiling. She had dreamt of something exciting and wonderful, but what? It had left her mind as soon as she woke up. Nevertheless, she still felt great, which was rare for 7am, especially these days. She sat up and shook her head. She had the feeling you got when you were going on holiday, or on Christmas Eve as a child. No Rose, she told herself, you are just going to work. It is a normal Tuesday, and feeling this excited will not help you concentrate.

'Rose, are you alright?' Mickey asked, watching her stare dreamily into space.

'What? Yeah, yeah I'm fine' she replied. She looked at the clock on her monitor display. It was only 11.15, but she was craving some fresh air.

Mickey cut into her thoughts again, 'This admin stuff is so boring. How long is it since we actually did any fieldwork? Like a week or something! Come on Rose, you're the boss, can you not ask someone else to do this?'

'Mickey, come on, you know we're short staffed. Why don't you take a break or something?'

'If I go for 10 minutes now, I can still have my full lunch in an hour, right?'

'Yes Mickey' she sighed. He bounded out, grinning at her. She smiled: it was quite amusing being in charge of him, dictating what he could do. Standing up, she stretched out, and headed to the lift. Some sunshine would go well with her 'holiday feeling'.

Rose sat on a bench in the nearby park, breathing in the summer air. It was a nice day. Maybe the weather was just making her feel good. But she didn't really believe that. Something else was going on with her, like an outside influence on her feelings. She had, for the past 18 months, felt pretty crap on the whole. The only time she had really been constantly happy was when David was born. But even that high had faded over time, and most days she was just dull. Until today, anyway. Today was different.

Somebody sat on the bench, and she automatically shifted away. She didn't like sitting next to strangers on park benches: they usually turned out to be weird. She avoided looking to her right, as looking them in the eye would be awkward. It was probably a man, as he had sat down quite heavily, and he was probably staring at her.

'You know, it's rude to ignore people' said a familiar voice. Rose felt like her heart had stopped. She could hardly bear to look, in case she was wrong. But she had to. She turned her head, and inhaled sharply.

'Doctor!' she cried, flinging her arms around him. For a short time, she breathed him in, pressing herself as close as she could, before pulling herself back to look at him.

'How…how are you here?'

'It's a long and technical story' he smiled, 'which I can entertain you with later.'

She grinned and hugged him again. He looked just the same, and she felt like the long 18 months since she had last seen him had dissolved into nothing.

'Can you stay long?'

'Not really.' Her face fell. 'It took a lot out of the TARDIS to get here, and if we are going to get back, we need to leave within 2 or 3 hours.'

'So I can come with you?' She was smiling so hard her face began to hurt.

'Of course you can! I mean, that's why I came. Rose, I want you to come back with me.'

Rose's phone bleeped. It was a text from Mickey: 'where r u? been back from break 4 ages, u ok? x'. She quickly typed a reply: 'im fine, just been caught up wiv something, meet me at my mums in 15 mins? something 2 show u! x'

The Doctor looked over her shoulder. 'Oh no, can I expect a slap from your mother? I'm sure I've done something wrong!'

'Well, maybe! But she loves you really Doctor.'


	3. Chapter 3

'Mum?' Rose called as she walked through the door of her home. The Doctor was impressed: it was quite an upgrade from the Powell Estate. The house had a long driveway and a perfectly kept lawn in front of it, and the hallway he was now entering was airy and modern. He felt a pang of doubt as he realised that he was taking Rose away from this pleasant life.

'What are you doing back, Rose? Are you alright love?' Jackie bustled into the hallway, holding a baby in her arms. Her eyes widened and she gripped her son tightly, as the blood drained from her face.

'Doctor,' she murmured, turning around and walking straight back into the kitchen. She placed Charlie into his high chair and leant against the table, trying to keep her breathing even. Though she had comforted Rose over the past 18 months, secretly she had been very happy to have her daughter home. Jackie loved family life and was content with the status quo. He was not going to waltz in and change everything. She took a deep breath, and called them in.

'Jackie,' the Doctor said cautiously, attempting a small smile. She looked ashen. He knew she wouldn't hit him: she was more upset than that.

'Mum, are you OK?' Rose asked, sitting down beside her.

'Yes, Rose, I'm fine. Doctor, can I have a moment alone with my daughter?'

'Of course,' he said, leaving the room and wandering into another.

'Rose, don't go with him.'

'Mum,' she began to protest. But Jackie cut her off,

'I forbid you to go with him. You are settled here now, and you are staying.' Her voice was quiet, but Rose could sense her anger. It was a cold, strong refusal to let anything happen to her family.

'But Mum, he's come for me. He can't stay!' She sighed deeply. 'Mum, you know how I feel about him.'

'Oh Rose, don't be silly. You loved him before, but it's been a long time! You're just surprised and excited, and that'll fade. I'll tell you who you love: Charlie. Us, your family. This is where you belong.'

Rose looked at her brother, dozing in the chair. He adored Rose. She had a knack for soothing him when he wouldn't stop crying, and making him laugh whenever she pulled a face. Suddenly, Rose understood her mother. How could she leave Charlie? He was so young, too young to lose his sister. She didn't want to just be a story to him, like her dad had been to her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. 'Jackie?' called Pete, Mickey following behind him. Jackie walked into the hallway, her eyes filling with tears.

'What's wrong love?' her husband asked, his voice full of concern. He had been in the reception area of Torchwood, when he saw Mickey bounding out the door. He ran after him and gave him a lift in his car, driving quickly. He knew something was up.

'He's here,' Jackie managed to say before burying herself in his arms.

'Who? Who's here?'

'I am.'

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Rose sat on her bed, in the bedroom that had never really felt like home. All of the things she loved had been left behind in the TARDIS. But, even though she wasn't entirely happy here, she wondered if she could really leave. Charlie was so young; he wouldn't remember her when he was older. She had struggled with the idea of her dead father throughout her childhood, and Charlie would face the same thing. Her mum would tell him stories about Rose, but he would never know her, never know how much she loved him. Her eyes filled with tears, and she sighed deeply.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the dog-eared photograph of herself and the Doctor that she carried everywhere. Her heart soared as she looked at his gorgeous face. Sadly, she doubted she could ever tell him how she truly felt. They had a close and platonic relationship, and he would never want more. He had once told her that Timelords were practically asexual, rarely feeling attractions to others. What was the point of spending her life in unrequited love?

'Rose?' Pete said softly, pushing her door open. 'Are you OK?'

'I don't know what to do, dad,' she admitted. She called him Dad without hesitation; he had been a great comfort to her since she had come to this world.

'Your mum's calmed down a bit. I think the Doctor has persuaded her that she can manage without you for a few years.'

'A few years? What do you mean?'

'Didn't he tell you? He said that the TARDIS would be up to bringing you back every 5 or 6 years.'

Rose smiled and threw her arms around him. 'Oh dad, that's brilliant! He should have told me that straight away!'

'So you're off then?'

'Yeah. I promise I will come back as often as possible. I don't want to miss out on Charlie growing up.'


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for all the reviews, they are really nice to read and encouraging!

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Jackie squeezed her arms tightly around her daughter. Five years would be a long time to be without her, but she knew it was best. Rose hadn't ever been properly settled and happy here, and she clearly loved the Doctor. Relaxing her grip, she allowed her to step away.

Rose smiled at the four people before her. Her family, Mickey included, who loved her enough to let her go. Saying goodbye, she turned around and walked towards the blue police box a few metres away. The Doctor stood in the doorway, patiently waiting. He placed his hand on her shoulder and walked into the TARDIS with her. She grinned, looking around the familiar space that she had missed so much, until her eyes landed upon the girl standing by the controls. 'Doctor…' she began, confused.

'Oh, yes, of course! Rose, this is Martha. She's been travelling with me for a few weeks.'

'Hi,' Rose said, smiling cautiously. She felt a wave of jealousy sweep over her, but quickly tried to ignore it. The Doctor always found a companion, and she wouldn't have wanted him to be lonely.

'Hi. You must be Rose. I've heard a lot about you.'

Rose missed the hint of sarcasm in her voice, and her heart soared. The Doctor had been talking about her: that was good. He hadn't forgotten her…well of course he hadn't: he had come to get her! This thought reminded her of something she needed to know.

'Doctor, how did you get here? You still haven't told me!'

The Doctor was fiddling with the controls, moving them into the vortex.

'Ah, yes. Well, I read a very long book, which gave me an idea. At the beginning of the universe, the barrier between it and other universes was more fluid. I realised I could travel back to that time, and adjust a few settings to sort of float through. Genius, really, I don't know why I didn't think of it before!'

Rose laughed at her Doctor. He was so clever and so vibrant, and she admired him. She looked to Martha to share her joy, but she was gone.

'Why can we only come back every 5 years?'

'The TARDIS had to use a lot of power to travel through the void, and it really took a battering. By my estimates, it'll take about 5 years for it to fully recover.'

Rose's mind whirred with questions and ideas. 'So, you came from the beginning of the parallel universe…Why didn't you come and get me right after I got stuck here?'

The Doctor seemed to be deep in thought. 'I don't really know. I suppose I wanted our timelines to be aligned…I didn't want you to still be freshly shocked and grieving, whereas I was more used to what had happened. Maybe I shouldn't have left you there for so long. But, then you wouldn't have known Charlie.'

'Yeah, you're right.'

She walked over to him and nestled into his chest, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her. She could hear his two hearts beating, a reminder of who he was. A Timelord, ancient and powerful, and yet he had strived to get her back, a girl from London. Perhaps this time, something would happen between them. She would hold on to that hope, and try to relish the exciting times she had ahead of her.

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Martha paced her room, her eyes damp with tears of frustration. How dare she just come back and ruin everything. Since discovering a way to get her, the Doctor had barely spoken to her, unless it was about Rose. And now she was here, giggling and simpering. She had no choice: she had to go home. This realisation made her feel even angrier. It was not fair; she didn't want to leave. But she couldn't stand to be around the happy couple, and she couldn't switch off her strong attraction to the Doctor. The only thing to do would be to go home, feel sorry for herself for a while, and just live an ordinary, boring life on Earth. She fell to her knees as the TARDIS lurched sideways, and let herself begin sobbing in earnest. 


	5. Chapter 5

The Doctor gazed at Rose, sitting beside him and showing him photographs of her family. He wasn't really listening to her stories, instead just relishing the opportunity to observe the girl he loved. Her hair was a little different now, shorter and neater, and she was wearing what she called 'work clothes', a shirt and skirt, which clung, alluringly to her figure. He wondered when he would tell her how he felt. It was difficult not to just lean down now and kiss her, but he wanted that moment, if it ever happened, to be somewhere special and memorable. It was not often that he told women that he was in love with them.

Martha's voice interrupted his reverie. 'Doctor, can we go to London? My mum called, I want to go home for a bit.'

'Yes, of course,' he replied, standing up reluctantly. Looking towards Martha, he was puzzled by the multitude of bags by her feet. 'Rose, could you go and put the kettle on please?'

When Rose had left the room, he approached his new companion. 'What's going on?'

'Nothing,' she said, but he could see the tension in her face.

'Martha, you've packed all of your stuff.'

Her eyes dropped to the floor and she sighed deeply. 'I just want to go home for a while.'

'A while? What's the matter?'

'Nothing, I'm fine!' Her eyes were glistening now. He patted her arm, trying to be reassuring, but she shrugged away.

'Come on Martha. Is it Rose?' Perhaps she was jealous, he thought.

'No! No, it's not that. It's just…Look, Doctor, I just can't be around you two.'

'Why? I know I haven't spoken to you much today, but she's just come back. We can all travel together, it'll be fine!'

'No, it won't. I can't stand to watch you being the happy couple.'

'We're not a couple! We are just friends.' He was aware that his voice had become quite defensive. Martha had picked up on his true feelings…but he still did not understand why it upset her so much.

'Maybe, but you obviously want more than just that. You love her Doctor, and I don't think that's going to change any time soon. Unfortunately.'

'Martha?'

'Doctor, I…I have feelings for you. I like you, a lot. I don't want to go, but being around you and her is too much for me. I can't just switch off my emotions, so I have to leave.'

'Well,' he began, unsure what to say. She was right, and he couldn't persuade her to change her mind.

'Maybe I'll give you a call one day. I've had an amazing time, and I'm really grateful. I'm sorry that I have to go like this.' Her voice was cracking now, as tears streamed down her cheeks. The Doctor embraced her for a few moments, until she pulled away. She took the TARDIS key from her pocket and offered to him.

'Keep it. Come back whenever you like.' He tried to smile at her, to show some sympathy, but her eyes remained sad. She nodded at him, picked up her bags, and walked through the doors to the street outside her home.

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'Is everything OK?' Rose entered the console room, carrying two cups of tea. She approached the Doctor, concerned. He looked like he might cry, but upon seeing her, brightened up in his usual way. He always bottled his feelings away, she had come to realise.

'Yes, yes, fine. Martha needed to go home for a while.' Rose knew that he was not being entirely honest. She entertained the thought that Martha was jealous of her and had left because of that. Perhaps she should change the subject: he liked to do that when he felt sad.

'So, where are we going now?'

He paused, and then exclaimed, 'Barcelona!'


End file.
